Sunday, September 27, 2009

how to make basil oil

i grew a ton of basil this year: one of my few successful crops! but days are getting shorter and i have to harvest now before it fades away. what to do with all this deliciousness? basil oil! here's how: clean the leaves and blanche them for 30 seconds in boiling water: immediately submerge the leaves in ice water. dry the leaves and puree in a blender with extra virgin olive oil: for every 2 cups of tightly packed basil leaves, use one cup of the oil. store in the fridge for up to a month, or in a cool dark place for about a week. delicious and useful!